Never Forget
by Running Colours
Summary: He walked on through the howling wind and swirling snow, head bent against the elements, his whole body aching with tiredness. Suddenly, his foot paw caught on a tree root under the snow, sending him crashing to the icy ground. "Oh, Rose, why did you have to die?" He sobbed, his voice a mere whisper against the volume of the wind. One shot. First fiction, so please be nice!


**Never Forget**

It was the dead of winter. The snow was thick upon the ground and the wind blowing through the trees sounded like a wounded beast. Through all this walked a lone figure. It was a mouse, young in seasons, well-built but very thin. An old rusty sword sheathed across his back was just visible under a ragged, old cloak.

He walked on through the howling wind and swirling snow, head bent against the elements, his whole body aching with tiredness. Suddenly, his foot paw caught on a tree root under the snow, sending him crashing to the icy ground. He lay there face down in the snow, ignoring the cold that seeped through to his bones, too tired to move, too tired to continue, too tired to _care_. He began to weep silently, his whole body shaking with grief as the tears froze in silvery trails on his fur.

"Oh, Rose, why did you have to die?" He sobbed, his voice a mere whisper against the volume of the wind. He didn't know how long he stayed like this, allowing the cold to ease its way into him, feeling the sly fingers of Death tug gently at the edge of his tattered cloak. He fancied that he could see Rose just ahead of him in the snow and he imagined her bright eyes shining with the delight of seeing him again. Only she didn't look pleased. She looked sad, and almost…angry. He made to move towards her but she shook her head once, giving him a gentler look than before, then promptly disappeared.

He sat up in the snow and wiped his eyes, understanding what she was trying to say. Not yet. One day they would be together again, but not yet. Until then he had to live off the memories he had of her, her bright eyes, her soft fur, her sweet voice that he could hear even now.

"_You will find me at Noonvale on the side of a hill_

_When the summer is peaceful and high,_

_There where streamlets meander the valley is still,_

_Neath the blue of a calm cloudless sky on the side of a hill_

_When the summer is peaceful and high,_

_There where streamlets meander the valley is still,_

'_Neath the blue of a calm cloudless sky_

'_Look for me at dawning when the earth is asleep._

_Till each dewdrop is kissed by the day,_

'_Neath the rowan and alder a vigil I'll keep,_

_Every moment that you are away,_

'_The old earth gently turns as the seasons change slowly._

_All the flowers and leaves born to wane._

_Hear my song o'er the lea, like the wind soft and lowly._

_Oh, please come back to Noonvale again.'_

The young mouse stood up and unsheathed the sword off his back. With one swift movement that spoke of a familiarity with weapons, he stabbed it down into the frozen ground. Kneeling down before it he spoke in a voice full of sorrow, but also of determination.

"I, Martin the Warrior, vow in the name of LaterRose of Noonvale, to protect those that I love, even at the cost of my own life, for as long as I live." He spoke loudly, his voice booming out into the empty woodland. He then stood up and sheathed his sword onto his back, pulled his cloak tightly around himself, and continued to walk through the quiet woodland.

His destination was still unknown to him, but there was a strong felling pulling him in this direction. No matter where he went, or how long he lived, her voice and her spirit would stay with him, driving him forwards and giving him hope.

* * *

**A/N Hello to anyone who has read this. I'm Running Colours but call me RC. This was just a little scene that popped into my head one day that I felt had to written down. I enjoy filling in gaps in Martin's life outside of the books, the 'deleted scenes' so to speak. Please review, it would mean a lot to me and help me to improve my writing! **

**Speaking of which, this was betaed by stagepageandscreen, an amazingly talented writer who also happens to be my sister (**_**only amazingly talented! I'm disappointed, RC, disappointed I tell you! ;) SPAS)**_**. We have written some things together for Les Miserables, so if you're interested, check out her profile to find them!**

**I'm going to stop rambling now…so bye! *disappears into portal* **


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